from the overflow

Last week, I was visiting with my pastor and my upcoming trip to Alabama was mentioned.  He asked, "Now, tell me again who you're going to see?"  I smiled as I thought through the list, then began to explain, but before I got very far, he stopped me. "Never mind, I've know.  You're going to see amazing person x with whom you have an amazing relationship, and they do fill in the blank with amazing godly thing."  I had to laugh because he was kind of correct.

Last Friday, I got in a car with some of my favorite Fort Worth girls (shout out to Erin, Erika, and Ashleigh!) and drove to Birmingham where we picked Mel up from the airport and rendezvoused with Steph who was driving down from Nashville.  From the airport, we drove to meet Joel in the parking lot of the church where he's been serving as youth minister for the last two and a half years.  Joel had Josh with him.  Josh and Esther (and baby Noah) drove in from Jacksonville, Florida where they minister to youth as well.  The surprise attendee to our family family reunion was waiting for us at Joel's parents lake house.  Danny, a naval officer stationed in San Diego, found out at the last minute he was going to get to come.  Finally, Joel and I made a second trip that evening to the airport for Army officer Jarrod and his wife Dawn, flying in from Virginia.  It was just after midnight before the 14 of us were all under one roof for the first time in years.  What a delight!  We spent the next twenty four hours simply enjoying the pleasure of being close.  We sat on the deck or the pier and talked lazily, catching up.  We grilled hot dogs, watched football then baseball, played cards, took walks, and had our traditional breakfast for dinner meal.  Saturday night, in the girls' room, we lay awake giggling far too long.  And, early Sunday morning, we parted ways.  We hope to do it again next year, and that hope made the parting a little easier.

From the lake house, I went on to spend a couple of extra days in Hayden, Alabama with a different set of friends.  Jeremy and Jodi (and Emma and Abbi) were spectacular hosts.  It is difficult for me to describe the depth of my affection for this family.  Earlier this week, I summarized my relationship to them by saying that Jeremy was the first person I ever had to seriously talk out of punching someone on my behalf and I'm pretty sure Jodi was right behind him.  I seriously didn't want punches thrown, but it felt really incredible to know there were people with that sort of protective loyalty for me.  Jeremy has served as friend, mentor, counselor, and tutor.  Jodi is the consummate girls' girl.  She's wise and kind and hospitable.  She's a patient listener and has a gift for getting to the heart of a matter.  She's a treasure!  And, for two days this week, I soaked up their friendship.

And, while I was away, enjoying these "amazing" people, I realized something else.  I have a whole host of amazing people right here in Fort Worth I was really eager to get back to.  I love my church family so very much.  They are so funny and kind and eager to serve.  I feel rich when I'm with them.  I love my work family, too. They are quirky and outrageous and generous and gifted in such unique ways.  I have so much to learn from them.  And, I love my family.  The ones related to me by blood.  I didn't have much time to talk with them while I was gone, and I loved hearing my dad's voice on the phone today.  I'm looking forward to talking with my mom tomorrow.  I am eager to catch up with my cousins and see my grandmother, too.  

Today, I got home from work, and I was alone in my apartment, and my heart was so full of all these thoughts I thought I might need to go run around the building.  I posed the question on facebook, "When your heart is full, what do you do with the overflow?"  My answer is, I blog.